Tartar is a solid, hard deposit formed on the faces of teeth. Tartar is known to provide the bacterial flora in saliva with an excellent protected environment from which some bacteria are capable of causing dental diseases such as caries and various forms of gingivitis.
In the first stage, the formation of tartar requires adherence of the so-called plaque onto the tooth face. This plaque is a porous mass consisting of organic materials, into which mass calcium and phosphate ions diffuse from the saliva and can there react to form various calcium phosphates. This results in reinforcement of the structure of the plaque which becomes hardened by the effect of crystallization of phosphates into tartar.
Due to the fact that the dental diseases mentioned are caused by the activity of certain bacteria in the surface areas of the teeth and in their recesses, the studies have been directed towards, and measures have so far been taken, almost exclusively to prevent or reduce the activity of the bacteria. This has taken place most commonly by mouth rinsing utilizing various bacteriocidal agents in the rinsing solution. Even though some additives such as chlorhexidine, have had a positive effect, the use of such agents has not been entirely satisfactory to solve the problems of decay and gingivitis.
In the last decade, fluoride-containing toothpastes and mouthwashes, and fluoridation of drinking water, have been used as means to reduce the occurrence of caries, and this has been quite efficient. However, this has not resulted in any significant reduction in the occurrence of dental diseases.
A new possibility which has been suggested has been the development of a vaccine to prevent the generation of the most detrimental of the bacteria occurring in the mouth, namely Streptococcus mutans. These experiments (described in Tiede 2000 No. 6/82, pages 17-22) are only at an early stage of development, and nothing will be known as to the effectiveness thereof for several years. In any event, this type of treatment relates to the prevention of caries resulting from only this single species of bacteria.